NEW PORT RICHEY - Two of the county's three remaining unbeaten teams meet tonight when Land O'Lakes (3-0) plays at Ridgewood (6-0) at 7.
The Gators' Jeff Bloomer and the Rams' Jeff Roxby are expected to pitch in a game that has added importance because the teams are back in the same district after playing in different classifications the past few seasons. Only the second meeting between the teams, March 17 at Land O'Lakes, counts toward the Sunshine Athletic Conference standings.
"It's always a big game any time you play Coach ( Calvin) Baisley," Ridgewood coach Larry Beets said. "His kids are ready, and they love the game." Land O'Lakes comes off mercy-rule victories over then-unbeaten Crystal River (14-4 in five innings) on Feb. 23 and Pasco (11-0 in six) on Tuesday.
Ridgewood easily handled Hudson (12-2 on Feb.22) and River Ridge (14-2 on Feb. 24) before edging tough East Lake 8-6 on Tuesday. The Rams' pitchers have been effective, keeping the ball over the plate, and enough hitters have contributed to keep the team going until others come around. Still, with six district games left, Beets knows any victory celebration will be short-lived.
"When it's over, one team will have won and one team will have lost," Beets said. "One team will be up as far as the district race goes. We go to Central Friday, and they go to River Ridge. That's basically it, bragging rights for 24 hours until you have to play the next day."
Zephyrhills (6-0) is the county's other remaining unbeaten team.
PROBLEM AREA: River Ridge's starting pitching has been effective, but spotty defense has contributed to a 2-3 start.
River Ridge played well in the Tom Varn Tournament, beating Nature Coast Tech and Central and losing a close game to Hernando. But unearned runs led to losses of 7-4 to Zephyrhills on Feb. 23 and 14-2 to Ridgewood on Feb. 24. Curtis Reeves (0-1, 0.00 ERA) and Steven Sundquist (1-0, 0.00 ERA) have pitched well, but pitchers have had to throw extra pitches - including 26 against Zephyrhills - because of the errors, coach Jack Homko said.
"We easily could be 3-2, if not 4-1," Homko said. "I really believe we're an improved team, but we can't afford to give the other team outs."
GOOD START: Bishop McLaughlin (2-2) defeated Cedar Key 8-6 on Feb. 16 to earn its first victory in its first-ever varsity game. Twelve days later, the Hurricanes picked up their second, 9-1 over Academy of the Lakes. "We're doing better than I was hoping," coach Nick Rodriguez said. "I didn't think we'd be able to pull off a win until sometime around March."
Defense has been the backbone. Behind the leadership of catcher Rob Gallagher and the play of pitchers/infielders Brandon Marks and James McCarragher, Bishop McLaughlin committed only one error against Academy of the Lakes and two against Cedar Key.
AWAY FROM HOME: Wesley Chapel (1-3) hit the road for its first three games, traveling to the Key West Spring Tournament. The Wildcats lost 17-13 to Miami Archbishop Carroll and 11-1 to West Boca Raton and defeated Miami Dr. Krop 22-17. "It was our first trip as a program," coach Erik Shafer said. "It's something I want to incorporate in every season, a trip somewhere out of Pasco County."
Shafer said he wanted to give his players an idea of what it would be like to go to college, build camaraderie and see teams not on the conference or district schedule. Possible future destinations include Pensacola and Daytona Beach.
UPSIDE DOWN: Unlike last season, when six players batted over .300, including three over .400, Gulf (2-3) has struggled at the plate, hitting .200 as a team and averaging four runs. The pitching, particularly Brandon Decker (1-0, 0.00) and Kyle Trouton (1.0, 1.68), has held steady, but only Decker (.312) and Weston Revak (.333) are hitting over .300. "We've got to have great pitching and defense," Gulf coach Shaun Wiemer said.
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